Coffin to be used in cases of doubtful death



l been inst-ances of human beings having been springs` andlevers causethe instantaneous UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE.

CHRISTIAN H. EISENBRANDT,

OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

l COFFIN T0 BE USED IN CASES 0F DOUBTFUL DEATH.

Speccaton of Letters Patent No.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN HENRYEISENBRANDT, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, haveinvented a new and useful improvement in coffins, which I term alife-preserving coffin in doubtful cases of death, and whereasthere haveburied alive the inventor of this coffin has contrived an arrangement`whereby any one who may not really have departed this life may by theslightest motion of either the head or hand acting upon a system ofopening of the Collin-lid; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and eXact description of thev construction and operationof the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a partof this speciiication, in which- Figure l, is a perspective view; Fig.2, a part of the lid; and Fig. 3, a transverse view of a part of thearrangement.

The lid of this coffin may be attached to it by means of hinges (A, A,)on one side; so that it openslike archest, the wires of which areremovable, to allow the lid to be taken off, till the burial of theperson. On any convenient part of the side of the lid, or on the coflin,on the opposite sid-e to the hinges, is placed a strong spring (B,)which may be either spiral, curved, or of any other suitable form,having a plate of metal (C) fastened on thepart of the cofiin, or lid,whereon the spring acts to raise the lid. A little below the bend of thecoffin, is placed a spring catch (1),) with an appropriate plate (E,)fastened to the lid, for its reception. 0n the inside of the top of thiscatch, is a small projection, with two holes in it, for the reception ofthe bent ends, or hooks of the wire (G, and H,) to move freely in. Onthe opposite side to said catch, is placed a metal hook (IQ) socontrived that a steel wire (G,) extending across the coiiin, from thecatch to the hook, may be easily acted on, to draw said catch inward,and allow the spring (D,) to open the lid, said wire having a bend, orhook at its end, to enable it to hold on. A second wire, or chain, is,also, attached to said catch having a ring (H,) at its other eX-tremity, the intention of whichring is to be placed on the finger of theperson, so that a very small motion of the hand would draw in the catch,and disengage the lid. On the inside of the lid, a spring lever (L) is3,335, dated November 1,5, 1843.

geously; thus, the slightest motion of either the head, or the hand,acting on the spring catch, will cause the lid to fly open.

The lid has a perforated air plate (L,) of metal,or any other suitablematerial, placed exactly over the mouth of the person, so as to allow ofbreathing, if required. Over the last named plate, and outside of thelid, is placed another plate (M,) with a hinge, so as it canbe raisedfrom the air plate, which last named plate may have the name, age, dto.,engraved upon it.

A press-pin (l\l;) passes through the side of the coi'iin` and is madefast to the spring catch, so that the coilin can beopened on theoutside, as well as on the inside. A guard-pin (0,) is inserted into anappropriate oblique aperture, under the head of the press-pin, toprevent the accidental opening of the coffin, while being conveyed tothe vault, which when placed there, is to be carefully removed.

.Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The combination of a spring catch within the coffin, with a rod, andring, to be slipped onto the finger of the subj ect within, as hereindescribed. l

2. I also claim the forehead plate, in combination with the 'springcatch, and rod, or wire (G,) whether by means of the lever (L) o-r othermeans substantially the same, whereby the catch is opened by the motionof the subjects head, as herein described.

3. And,'iinally, I claim the air plate in the lid of the coffin, incombination with the devices above claimed, for opening` the lid fromwithin, as described.

It is intended to place the above described coin, with its inmate, in avault, with a key of the vault deposited inside of its entrance, untildecomposition takes place, so that should the person not really be dead,life may be preserved.

. CHRISTIAN HENRY EISENBRANDT.

